Page 79 of The Valentines Day Proposal

“You’re an adult...you’re free to go,” Linda said. “But just know that your father will indeed be wanting to talk to you.”

Katy shook her head with disgust. “Yeah, well, he can do that when he catches me. First real love I’ve had and my parents want me to throw it away over politics.”

Linda had been saying something, but Katy pulled the door shut anyway. She climbed in her car then headed down the road and toward the interstate. She thought about calling Eve, but wasn’t really up for the over-the-top-ness at the moment. With no real direction, but feeling drawn to do so, Katy drove back into the city. She stared at the glittering skyscrapers for a moment she got off at St. Catherine Street. Deciding she needed to stop for a moment and deal with her emotions, she parked next to a park downtown and leaned her seat back.

The kitchen scene replayed in her house. Katy admitted to herself that Eve had a point about keeping it a secret. Katy truly enjoyed her evening last night with Brennon at the art gallery, but now she realized the price their love might have to pay once the world saw them together. And the funny thing was that Katy hadn’t even been thinking the least bit about something knowing her or Brennon then somehow telling her parents. Then again, she should’ve known better. Her father was involved in so many organizations around the city; her mother was the queen of befriending the wives of other “important” people.

Finally, after several minutes of trying to suppress her mental anguish, Katy called Brennon. She left a message: “Hey, call me when you get out of class. Had a big argument with my mom. Just sitting at this park downtown. I don’t know which one, but, so, um...” She stammered. “Call me when you can.”

Katy hung up, nervously then wrapped her fingers around the steering wheel. She waited for Brennon in anxiety. She wasn’t close to have a nervous breakdown, per se, but she was certainly starting to put things in perspective. She felt as if the fragile glass walls around her affair with Brennon had just come crashing down.

Katy’s phone rang. She grabbed it, anxiously assuming it would be Brennon. It wasn’t; rather, she found it was her cousin Melanie calling. Katy looked at her name flash across the screen as the phone vibrated in her hand. Katy simply let the phone ring until the screen read MISSED CALL. A minute or so later, a text message popped up from Melanie: YOU CAN TALK TO ME. SERIOUSLY.

A brief feeling of relief came over Katy because she figured Melanie would be far more understanding than her parents. Katy leaned her head back into the seat and waited for Brennon to call. Twenty minutes or so passed then she was telling him everything that happened.

“Head to my place right now, Katy,” Brennon told her, in a very securing voice. “I am on my way right now from campus, so I’ll be puling up soon.”

Katy finished her call with Brennon then headed over to his place. As she strolled down the neighborhood side streets, she wondered just how much her life had changed. Strangely enough, though, she was far more excited to go to Brennon’s place than to go back to her parents’ house. Facing her father didn’t look like a fun proposition.

Brennon waited up by the staircase when Katy pulled into the parking lot. He came over, opened her car door, then walked her upstairs. Sitting next to one another on the couch, Brennon placed his hand on Katy’s face shortly after she got passed the part of the story where her mother talked about how it would look to the family. He lifted her chin, looking straight into her eyes. “Katy, we love each other. That’s all that really matters. And our families should be able to see that.” He kissed her. “You can come live here….with me…if you want.”

Chapter 11

Brennon let himself into his apartment around 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Because of some maintenance work being done on campus, the classes in his building had to be canceled for the day. Brennon stopped home to get a few things then go and visit his father. “Yeah, Dad, I’m looking for the binder now then I’ll be over there, I’ll be over there.”

Brennon hung up then zipped around his apartment looking for a copy of a study he received from a colleague. This was the one thing he and his father had in common, so many of their conversations centered around it. Brennon found it on the side of the bookcase. He snatched it then grabbed his keys and headed for the door. Coming home had changed for him over the last two weeks. Katy had been staying with him and he loved every day of it. Watching her get dressed in the morning was always a treat; suddenly chuckling with a deep, sinister voice in the dark always spooked her. Her items lay scattered around the apartment, the true testament of a busy woman. Brennon smiled, never having thought a few months ago he would have a woman living with him. She certainly brought her own touch to the place, even if Brennon didn’t like every little thing.

Brennon pulled up at his father’s house about thirty minutes later. His father, James, lived in a well-established, historic area of town. Many large, Victorian houses with large front yards lined the tree-lined streets. At many of the corners of busy streets where redeveloped brick storefront cornerstone buildings that now served as cafes and arts venue. Brennon parallel parked then headed up the brick walkway. He let himself in then stepped out into the middle of the foyer. “Dad, you here? Are you here?”

Brennon chuckled under his breath and shook his head. “This guy calls me trying to make sure I’m on my way and he’s gone with the wind.”

“Yeah, Brennon, I’m back in the den!” James yelled out.

Brennon headed toward the kitchen then down the laundry room hall. When he came to the den, he found his father standing at his desk. The retired man still served on certain community boards, so he kept busy. He’d been going through a stack of papers on his desk.

“Hey, son, how are you?” the 65-year-old man asked.

Brennon nodded. Something about his life certainly felt different over the last couple of weeks. “Dad, I’ve actually been doing pretty good.”

“Hmm, is that so?” James asked, nodding his head. While raising his sons, people often joked he reminded them of someone who would work in the West Wing. “We need to talk about something.”

Brennon noticed the tense undertone in his father’s voice. “Yeah, Dad. Sure. What’s going on?”

James sat down then pulled his glasses off of his wrinkled face. “Son, please tell me I’m misunderstanding some of the things I’m hearing. You haven’t been seeing Richard’s daughter Katy have you?”

Brennon stared at his father blankly for a moment. He then nodded confidently. “Yes, I have Dad. What’s the problem?”

James leaned back then glanced out of the window. “Not a good idea. I talked to Richard today.”

“Yeah?” Brennon asked. “And what did he say? Katy knows he doesn’t approve, but, Dad, you know we’re not really related.”

“I know you’re not really related, Brennon,” James said. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t have too close of a relationship. Have you talked to Melanie?”

Brennon was a bit lost for words. As they’d gotten older, he didn’t keep in touch with Melanie like he used to. In fact, outside of family functions and funerals, he really didn’t talk to her much beyond casual text messages. He felt like if his sister felt that strongly about it, she would’ve contacted him by now.

Brennon shook his head. “No...No, I haven’t. Actually, haven’t heard from her in a while.”

James nodded. “Son, well she’s having a hard time I guess understanding this. I told you Richard is really not going for this. Brennon, he had such high thoughts of you...such a good impression. That man opened all kinds of doors for you with your career and whatnot...and for you to be over having a romance or whatever you want to call it with his daughter Katy.” The man became visibly angrier. “What in the world, Brennon?”

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